dangerous offerings

[Enrique B]

i was reading on a CR website and it was talking about how the Irish would have to tell children not to eat the offereings and keep them away from animals because they werent supposed to be eaten. what do you guys think and if you agree what do you do if you leave an offering in the woods or in nature. the other day i left an apple out and its gone, could this have harmed an animal?

[Enrique B]

ok i found the link and the passage:

"Offerings indoors on your altar might be left overnight or for a few hours, but should then be taken outside and given to the land whenever possible. Offerings to the Deities and spirits should not be eaten afterwards. CR belief has generally been that the toradh (“substance”) of ritually offered food and drink has been consumed by the spirits, and that to consume that which was given to the Deities and spirits is subtly harmful to the living. This was also a part of early Scottish and Irish belief and, due to this, offerings left at the doorstep were usually watched to see that the family cats and dogs didn’t get into them. If you have a fireplace, woodstove, or other place to make a fire, it’s also quite acceptable to burn the offerings after they’re removed from the altar."


here is the link to the actual article
http://paganachd.com/faq/ritual.html#offerings

[Donna]

"Offerings indoors on your altar might be left overnight or for a few hours, but should then be taken outside and given to the land whenever possible" I think this pretty much clears that up. No, if by chance, some animal did run off with it, then that would be the same as giving back, I think. Or perhaps it was whatever god/goddess you were giving the offering to that took it, in animal form or not. Either way, I think its fine. Just my opinion.

[Fantumofthewinds]

Now I have read and heard both sides to this story, if we read we will see that depending on the sacrifice , it was killed and then roasted and all partook of the offering, even with that of the dead we read where they would leek out the blood and then drink, also even the ashes of some are mixed with substances and then drank. so do I see anything wrong with this not all all. I dont think the Gods mind weather it is eaten by that of us or a animal. after all its our williness to make a offering that is inportent ( ones intent ) BB Fantumofthewinds

[Celticlass]

When food/drink is put on the altatr,be it in doors or out it becomes sacred and is meant for Deity or Spirit,MOST Irish children,that have been around altars and rituals in the home know this. If an animal eats a piece of food left out in an outside ruitual,I believe it is with the blessing of the deity,as the animals as all else are part of the circle.

[Breandán]

Maybe it is more about the intent. I mean, you don't give someone a gift and then take it back, so you wouldn't give offerings and then take them back and eat them, that's just rude, in my opinion. If you give something up as an offering, it then belongs to the Gods, Ancestors, or Spirits, not the one giving it up. Once I gave a ring that I made up as an offering, and my cousin asked if I still get to have the ring and she was surprised that I said no and was willing to give it up (I had worked days on it) and I explained using the gift metaphor.

However, using the more mystical idea of the offering's toradh, it is believed that the offering would be empty of toradh and therefore either worthless or even harmful. I don't know why it would be harmful, maybe it was a traditional way of preventing someone from taking it (scaring the kids into leaving the food offerings alone, as the best in the house was usually the offering)? Who knows.

Either way, I would not recommend eating an offering yourself, though I personally do not feel that it would harm wildlife that interacts with it should you leave it outside. The reason why is because I believe wildlife and natural forces to often be vehicles for the Gods to express themselves with or utilize. Say a deer eats the apple you left behind, maybe that deer was a vehicle for the God's to consume the offering? It would be similar to someone being the vehicle for a spirit or God (possession) and consuming the offerings themselves.

[jinxam]

this could have sipply been the way who ever your doing to offering to accepted it my freind gods work in many ways

[Lady Anastasia]

In Shinto belief, the offering is made of uncooked rice. Then the rice is cooked and consumed by the family, there is a sense that it is spiritually filling to partake of that rice.

[dragonwolf]

hello everyone I thought that leaving offerings was part of saying thanks to the deities that you asked for help from and if you know where the offering came from then there is no way that it could harm an animal usually before you leave the offering you eat and drink a small drink and take a small bite and then leave the offering

good evening to everyone
blessed be
Dragonwolf

[Enrique B]

Thank you for all the thoughts and information :)

[julian]

i do find all this idea of offerings very disturbing.Maybe becsue its not the offering that is important,but the idea behind it or the emotion and thought.Sometimes we can get to envolved with the offered item that we belief that is is ours to offer.I dont think that anything belongs to us tobegin with.Not even ourselves since we are only products of anothers action.In this example parents who by blueprint created us.

My idea about offerings is to offer the thought by what I can do to help creation and the creative head force directly and that would be not to pollute or participate in the pollution of the Mother and be found guilty.
Give up sacrifice maybe a day without driving your car,condition your mind as this is a gift to the mother.
since the mother also knows that you are not responsiable for your existence wholey and there are sytematic factors and higher levels conditioning us without us even being aware..

[Enrique B]

well i think if you spend time making an offereing its highly smiled upon. if you cook food and decide to offer it to the gods then i think its an extremly appreciated.

[Enrique B]

While we are on the topic of offerings, how does everyone feel about leftovers. when all the food has been served and there is extra would you put it on the altar?